OBJECTIVE: To study the tissue distribution regularity of berberine hydrochloride in rats after intragastric administration of Qinglian ningxin capsules. METHODS: 36 rats were given Qinglian ningxin capsules (4 g/kg) intragastrically, and the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney tissues were collected 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 h after medication, 6 rats each. Other 6 rats were seleted to collect blank tissue as control. The concentration of berberine hydrochloride in each tissue was determined by HPLC. Zorbax Eclipse XDB- C18 column was used with mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-0.05 mol/l potassium dihydrogen phosphate (25 ∶ 75, pH=3.17) at the flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The detection wavelength was set at 345 nm and column temperature was 25 ℃. RESULTS: The linear range of berberine hydrochloride in each tissue were 0.404 8-404.800 0 μg/ml (r=0.999 5-0.999 7); method recovery was 90%-102% (all RSDs≤6.49%, n=6) and extraction recovery was 87%-101% (all RSDs≤5.45%, n=6). 1 h after medication, berberine hydrochloride was found in each tissue, and its concentration was the highest in liver. The concentration of berberine hydrochloride in heart reached the maximum 3 h after medication; that in kidney reached the maximum 5 h after medication; that in liver was increasing and reached the maximum 7, 9 and 11 h after medication; that in liver reached 365.263 4 μg/ml 11 h after medication. CONCLUSIONS: Berberine hydrochloride can be delivered in each tissue of rats rapidly after intragastric administration of Qinglian ningxin capsules. The distribation of it is higher and faster in liver and heart.